Hidden Motives
by MsChifSantos
Summary: Sasuke is always so skeptical. ItaHina.
1. Tutoring? As if!

ItaHina and Sasuke being foolish. One- Shot.

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Sasuke slinked into his house as quietly as he could. For the last three years, Itachi would annoy him with his embarrassing attempts to play the part of mom and dad. It didn't matter if Sasuke was now legally able to drink. He really should've moved in with Naruto, but Sasuke doubted that he would pass his classes with him around. At least Itachi was quiet, annoying but quiet.

He'd ask how classes were; "Fine." Or ask if anything interesting happened; "Nope." He made everything so awkward. That's not to say that Sasuke didn't appreciated that he wanted to strengthen the bond that has been weakened when Itachi had left for college and his parents died.

It was the independence that Sasuke liked; however he was getting more breathing room recently. Itachi hadn't been the overbearing brother, actually he hadn't really seen his brother aside from dinner and even then conversations were short on both ends.

It began to make Sasuke paranoid, of what exactly he couldn't say but the sudden shift in behavior kept him weary of Itachi. Maybe he was planning a camping trip over the weekend? God, he'd just stay at Naruto's if he was desperate enough. Out in the woods with no internet, or being able to get away from a brother with issues was a scary thought.

He tried to make as little noise possible as he tiptoed into his room but stopped when he heard a feminine giggle. "What the hell?" Did one of his fan girls finally break into his sanctuary? Itachi's chuckle shocked him and grew more curious; he slowly walked to the dining room.

"...and then Neji just stood by admiring the scarfs. Nothing could faze him, even as Hanabi was being escorted out by THREE security guards! I was so mortified that it even went to that level over a simple return."

They continued laughing and Sasuke realized that he recognized the girl sitting in his dinner table. It was the quiet girl from his Criminal Law class. She always arrived first, sat in the front taking notes, and stayed behind to ask questions. Of course he found her attractive as well but he couldn't see himself with such a timid person. Then again he never really saw her outside of class and he certainly hadn't heard her say much let alone laugh.

The body language was hard to ignore, both of their bodies were leaning towards each other and Itachi had an arm over the back of her chair. His face wasn't hard to read as it was the most relaxed he's ever seen him. The usual stoic face or grimace was gone but it returned when Itachi caught his eye.

"Sasuke."

"Uh...hi. What's all this?"

The girl looked at him with strange but captivating eyes. "Oh, I'm here for some tutoring from Itachi-kun."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Uh Huh." He wasn't buying it for a second. His mind started working in overdrive to process everything while she kept talking about some extra credit work he didn't doubt was bullshit.

According to his reasoning, this girl had ulterior motives. The school had a tutoring center, why not go there? Noticing the opened textbook, it was supposedly for the class they shared. But he hadn't been aware of the extra credit work. Why was she lying? Of course, she was using his brother to get to him! She somehow convinced his brother that she needed help and being so selfless he offered; Itachi was a successful lawyer already. This allowed her have a reason to go to where Sasuke Uchiha lived; to do whatever in God's name went on in demented minds.

"Sasuke? Is that alright with you?" His brother's voice broke his train of thought. Both were staring at him and he tried to figure out what he had missed.

"I don't know...?" The uncertainty in his voice had an immediate reaction. She had a tight smile and Itachi narrowed his eyes at him but before Itachi could say anything, the girl put her hand on his and squeezed it.

"It's fine. I should be getting home anyways. I'll see you on Wednesday?" Itachi nodded and helped her gather her things. She bid Sasuke goodbye and Itachi escorted her out before returning with a frustrated look.

"Couldn't you be a little more welcoming? I really owed Hinata dinner from last week's session."

So that's her name! "Dinner? That must have been some session. I thought you were just tutoring her." A blush appeared on his older brother's face which he would have found delight in. But instead of thinking of ways to torment Itachi, he felt anger at the girl for intentionally misleading his brother so she could get with him.

"I am." Itachi kept his answers short. He knew when Sasuke was fishing for information and this topic was not one he felt ready to indulge his brother in. "I thought you were going to be late today."

"Change of plans."

Dinner was quiet and Sasuke didn't like that. Not when he had questions that needed to be answered. Of course growing up Uchiha had given both males the necessary tools to know how to close yourself off. He would have to get his answers from the source of his inquiry.

.

.

.

Hinata arrived ten minutes before class started. She liked to get to her seat, which wasn't really an issue as many didn't like to be front and center of the professor's sight. It was more likely to have to passive aggressively fight someone for a back corner seat.

She opened the door to see that someone else was already there. Her seat was not taken but the seat behind her was, by the male who had made her feel uneasy days ago. Shooting him a quick smile that was not returned, she decided to avoid him and pulled out her notebook, pencil, and textbook.

The minutes before another student arrived were uncomfortable but growing up in the Hyuuga household made her strong enough to endure this brief torture. Usually class was pleasant, but it was hard to ignore the glare burning into the back of her head. Once they were free to go, she was slow to put her things away. Perhaps he'd be rushing out like he usually did?

No such luck, his backpack was holstered up on his shoulder but he stood waiting by the door. She thought about staying behind to ask their professor questions but he had mentioned a previous appointment which was the reason for their early dismissal. Fearing that they would be the last two in the room again, she took a deep breath and rushed out, carefully avoiding the brooding Uchiha.

His footsteps were right on her heels and she was quickly getting out of breath trying to out power walk him. It would have been much easier to lose him in a crowd of students but at this time, there weren't hordes of students rushing to class. Hinata's inner self sobbed while admitting defeat and decided to catch her breath in a nearby bench in a courtyard that wasn't empty. There were a couple of students around and if he tried something, at least they'd be witnesses. Itachi had mentioned that his brother was nice but misunderstood but she was wondering if it wasn't Itachi who misunderstood her current stalker.

As expected, he didn't go away. But he didn't sit next to her either, not that she would have wanted him. Sasuke stood in front of her with the same scary look and Hinata suddenly regretted not bringing her pepper spray bottle. It was a gift from Neji, naturally.

With as much dignity as she could muster in her flustered state, she decided to be the one to begin the conversation. "Can I help you?" He smirked and leaned in while she began to think about how quickly she could get a pen out and use it as a weapon.

"You know who I am, right?" Hinata felt a little insulted; did he think she had short term memory or spaced out a lot?

"Of course, you're Sasuke Uchiha." His smirk deepened but fell when she continued. "Itachi-kun's little brother. I met you a few days ago at your house."

Oh, she wanted to play coy? He gave her points for persistence but not originality. "Riiiight. Look, drop the act. It's not going to work. If you had tried it from a different approach, I might've given you a look but you're messing with my family. I wouldn't want a girl like that. If you could just leave us both alone, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Hinata looked at him with a disgusted look. "What?!"

Sasuke pinched his nose in annoyance. Her innocent act was quickly wearing thin. "I can tell that he's already under your spell. It's probably the 'innocent' looks you give him all the time, but c'mon. Isn't it cruel?"

She blushed at the taunt and covered her face in embarrassment. Was her crush on Itachi that obvious? But then she remembered what else he was saying and pointed at him accusingly.

"Wait...you think I like you? No! God no!" It was obvious by his facial expression that Sasuke was offended. She would have apologized, as it is in her nature to do so but he was being a jerk. "I just met you!"

"We've shared the same class for almost twelve weeks already. You have seen me before."

She stared at him in shock. Hinata has met self-absorbed people before but he really took the cake. "Yes, but there are nearly twenty other people there as well. It doesn't mean that I'm in love with everyone in there." Hinata slowly spoke as if she was trying to avoid language miscommunication.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Okay I'm just going to be straight forward. We have a tutoring center nearby. And about that extra credit assignment, I didn't see it listed on the syllabus. So can you see how flimsy your little scheme was?"

At this point she was imagining emptying her pepper spray bottle onto his eyes. Maybe that'll wipe the smugness off his face. But instead, she would verbally beat him down and wound his misguided ego.

"I didn't do very well on the midterm so I went to Professor Sarutobi to see if there was any way to bring up my grade. He said that I could examine a case file and analyze any lasting effects on current laws. It's not listed on the syllabus but if you read the whole thing, you'd see that he mentioned additional opportunities on a case by case basis."

Sasuke opened his mouth but she continued with a condescending but soft voice. "I didn't want to go to the center for help because it's always incredibly busy. I don't like being in large crowds and get anxious so I asked if there was anyone who would meet me outside of the center. Hatake-san originally offered but then he introduced me to his friend who knew law very well. I'm sure you can see where this is going."

Hinata picked up her bag and walked away from Sasuke who was at a loss for words. But when he was able to form his thoughts together, he could only say one word. "Fuck."

.

.

.

He didn't see her around except for the class they shared which was understandable. However he did see Itachi more than before, only he didn't engage Sasuke in meaningful or long conversations. It was obvious what was troubling him.

"Are you done tutoring?"

"Hn."

"How did she do?"

"I don't know, I haven't talked to her although I expect she did well."

On the last day of class, Sasuke finished the test before her. He walked out but leaned against the wall across their class and waited. Fifteen minutes later, she appeared with a triumphant smile on her face before she noticed him. He reached out to grab her before she could bolt.

"Why didn't you ask me to tutor you?"

She tugged to free her arm. "Why are you still going on about this? Are you this dense?"

"Just tell me."

"Aside that we were strangers and I just met you? I've seen how anti-social you are and the way you act around others, especially girls. To be frank, you scare me."

Okay that was honest. Brutal, but honest nonetheless.

"Itachi is just as weird as me. Have you met his friends?" Finally freeing her arm, she crossed her arms and raised her chin.

"Itachi-kun is not like you! He is a good person. So kind, patient, and-"

The girl was blushing as she disgustingly described his brother. "Cute?" He smirked.

Hinata's face blushed harder, realizing she was being goaded into saying some embarrassing things. "He is not bad looking. But he is better than you in that sense as well. L-looks, personality, and attitude!"

Sasuke kept his composure but glanced behind her. "See? I told you she liked you."

Slowly turning her head, Hinata felt her heart beat accelerate. "Hinata?" Both men weren't quick enough to catch her before she collapsed.

"You got yourself a real winner there, brother." Itachi picked her up and carried her out the building with many people looking on. Sasuke opened the car door and Itachi secured her in place.

"This is why you called me?"

"Hn." Itachi ruffled his head and Sasuke pushed him away. "So stop moping around. I'm going to head over to Naruto's place for a couple hours. Don't wait up for me." He waved dismissively but knew that Itachi would put two and two together. Then again, he did need help when it came to her. "So you know, do the dinner thing. Maybe a movie or something lame like that."

Hinata had been coming over more often and while Sasuke usually went out during their time together, this was Itachi's birthday.

He was expected to stay which was hard to do while they displayed their affections so shamelessly. Seriously, Itachi fed her cake and she wiped his mouth. It's a crime against humanity, at least in his eyes.

Sasuke was leaning against his chair with a bored look. "If you keep feeding her like that, she'll get fat." Itachi threw a crumpled napkin at him while Hinata pretended to not hear him but she happily accepted the next bite of cake and savored in its taste. Perhaps a bit more lewd than she realized since the two Uchihas were sporting blushes.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Or you could keep feeding her. I don't mind."

Itachi put the cake away much to everyone else's disappointment.

* * *

AN: I had this in my head for a past reviewer who said I should do a ItaHina. I actually feel it I haven't done it justice since it barely scratches the surface so I'll work on another ItaHina story later to make up for it and it'll be more mature. I also told another person that I'd do this late last week but obligations and the rush of getting ready for school has gotten me incredibly busy.

If anyone is reading Buried Desolation, I'm working on it. It's harder than expected. Anyways...

Thank you for reading!


	2. What's going on with him?

S/O to PenCraft31.13

This one is for you!

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"What's with the sigh?" Sasuke frowned at the girl in front of him. They had tried to squeeze in a study session before their next exam but her mind was obviously elsewhere. "Aren't you supposed to be all giddy and crap since Valentine's Day around the corner?" He wasn't a romantic at all; the stalking from the female population had been a constant reminder of the dreadful day. It seemed like he couldn't find an escape from the unwanted attention. However, Hinata was not like the rest. She only had eyes for his brother.

"I know but lately Itachi's been cancelling our dates. I told him I don't need to go out, staying in is fine with me. I just want to spend time-"

"Then be honest and tell him," he bluntly replied. "Itachi's probably swamped at work and didn't realize he was ignoring you."

"What if he gets upset?" She bit her lip in apprehension. "I don't want to seem needy or clingy."

"But you are." She slammed her book in response and stuffed her materials into her book bag. "C'mon Hinata, I was just kidding." Hinata frowned and stormed out of the library, blushing when the librarian shot her a scolding look.

"Damn it." He thought Hinata would be used to the Uchiha's sense of humor. Normally one to not care for how others took his words, he uncharacteristically chased after her. Itachi would be peeved for sure if he found out Sasuke had upset her but he also didn't want to leave things on a bad note. Itachi's and Hinata's interactions were uncomfortable to look at but he had gotten used to the quiet girl over the past year. She provided an unbiased opinion whenever he was at a crossroads with his career options and promised to not mention anything to Itachi. He felt like she had earned his trust.

Sasuke tracked her to a nearby bench and sat next to her. "It was a joke. I'm sorry it came off as malicious."

"It's fine. My sister says I'm overly sensitive, too." She tried to smile at him but he could see that it still hurt.

"Hinata, believe me. Itachi is in love with you," he grimaced. Playing cupid for his brother made his skin crawl but it was worth it to see her brighten up. "He's never acted like this with any other girl."

"I love him, too." She giggled when he blanched. "Sorry. But I can't help but feel something's up. The last time I felt this way, my boyfriend broke up with me."

Sasuke clicked his tongue. "He's not going to do that. Stop thinking like that! Okay, why don't you suggest something to do this weekend at the house? I'll clear out and you two can have the place to yourselves."

"I don't want to force you out…"

He raised his hand in annoyance. "Please, if anything you'll be doing me a favor. You'll see that you've been inducing wrinkles over nothing. Ask him tonight after dinner."

That night, Sasuke watched in amusement as Hinata twisted her napkin. "So Naruto's having a get together this weekend," he said out of nowhere.

Itachi raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Okay." It was unusual for the normally private to tell him anything about his plans. Hinata had teased him before about fretting over his younger brother like a mother hen.

"Yeah, so I'm going to be out. All weekend. Not here at all."

Hinata's eye twitched in irritation. Sasuke shot her a wink and she nearly slammed her head on the table with his obviousness. "That sounds like fun. At least you'll be out the house. I hate for people to think I'm related to a hermit." He chuckled at his own joke but stopped when Sasuke joined in.

"You're funny, Itachi. Anyways, I'm full and gonna head up to my room. See you two later." He headed towards the kitchen and gave Hinata thumbs up before disappearing. Thankfully Itachi wasn't facing that way.

"That was a lovely meal, Hina," her boyfriend said. "I hope you didn't stress over this. It was Sasuke's turn."

"Oh I just figured I'd let him rest." She placed her hands flat on her thighs "But speaking of Sasuke…since he's not here this weekend I figured we could do something special. Just the two of us," she said full of hope.

He had been drinking and coughed violently. Hinata got up and patted his back. "Are you okay?"

He nodded and wiped his mess. "Sorry, there must've been something in my throat." She continued rubbing his back. "I should take you home."

"Okay but what do you think about it?" He looked away and stood up. "About this weekend-?"

"I'm afraid I'm busy."

Her eyes lowered. "All d-day?"

"Yes."

"What about Sunday?" she softly asked.

"Hinata, I'm sorry but I need to work on a project. Sasuke being gone will give me some time to focus." He kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you, okay?"

He smiled when she nodded. Itachi went to warm up the car and she placed the rest of the dishes in the sink where a curious Sasuke waited. "So?"

Shrugging her shoulders dejectedly, she wished him a goodnight.

Surprised at his brother's behavior, he decided to hover near his room when he heard him talking to someone. It wasn't out of the ordinary for Itachi to make calls outside normal hours; his clients had his personal phone number.

However, his heart dropped at the words he was able to make out. "She knows something's up. We need to be discreet. If this gets out, it'll ruin everything…. Akimichi's… see you then." Wanting to give his brother the benefit of doubt, he repeated to himself that Itachi loved Hinata. Itachi was probably talking to another lawyer at his firm about a case. _He'd never do something like that…no it's something else._

Over the next couple of days, Sasuke noticed his brother acting oddly. He had closed his laptop whenever he walked in and walked into another room when he received calls.

Fed up with the thoughts tormenting him, he stopped his brother before he walked out for work. "Hinata thinks you're avoiding her."

His eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not."

"She loves you, you know," he said seriously. "I just wanted to remind you."

.

.

"He's breaking up with me, isn't he?" Hinata said. "I knew it."

"No…" Even Sasuke grimaced at how unsure he sounded. "He's been very busy. I mean he doesn't even bother me anymore and we know how he is." She let out a laugh and returned to their school work. The guilt was beginning to overwhelm him and he wished Itachi felt a million times worse.

They had decided on a reward for their performances on their exam. Sasuke had quickly turned down her suggestion of Akimichi's. "How about Yakiniku Q's instead?" he suggested.

After being seated in the back, they placed their orders. Joking about how stubborn their new professors were, Hinata began to feel better and Sasuke was happy to put the issue with Itachi to the side, at least for the moment.

"I mean, do we really need to each hand in a report? It's a group project…" she trailed off, eyes wide with shock. Sasuke looked over his shoulder and felt like cold water had completely drenched him. Itachi was there but he was accompanied by a leggy blonde.

"It's a work thing," he said, not knowing who he was really trying to convince. He gulped when the woman got up hugged him. _Push her away and remind her of your professionalism, idiot!_ Hinata gasped when Itachi reciprocated. The stoic and often cold Uchiha had rarely shown so much affection to anyone aside from Hinata or Sasuke.

The two had paid for their meal and walked out together.

"I guess it makes sense now," she choked out. "He's cheating…"

"I'm sorry."

She narrowed her eyes at him, noticing his lack of surprise. "Did…did you know?"

Offended that he was being blamed, he quickly tried to clear things up. "I didn't! I mean I noticed somethings. I thought the calls were from a client but-"

"Why didn't you tell me?!" she cried out. Other people began to crane their necks to see what was happening. "Did you just pity me?" A second later, Hinata bolted with tears streaming down her face.

"Hey wait!" He muttered a series of curses and apologized to the staff before following her. The crowded sidewalk made it hard to find the pale eyed woman. "Fuck!"

Sasuke made it to his house, waiting for Itachi to come home. He fumed as the hours dragged on, well past his usual arrival time. By the time his car pulled up, Sasuke's blood was boiling. _He was probably with his whore!_

Itachi didn't seem smug or at least exhausted; he looked despondent. Undeterred, Sasuke walked up to him. "Did you have a good time?"

"Sasuke… what are you doing up?" his voice was raspy as if he'd been crying. "You should go to bed." Itachi moved past him and sat on the couch, head hung low.

"What happened to you?" Sasuke asked. He had a feeling but wanted to hear it from himself.

"She broke up with me," he replied. "Hinata said she couldn't deal with me anymore and had enough." He flung a paperweight at a nearby wall and shouted in frustration. "I fucking loved her and she said she hated me!"

Not wanting to coddle his brother due to his indiscretions, Sasuke smirked. "You deserve it."

"What?"

"You were acting weird around here and were distant with her. Then I heard your conversation the other day." Sasuke scoffed at the confused look on his brother. "We saw you okay? Today at Yakiniku Q's and how you _embraced_ her."

Suddenly looking alarmed, Itachi paced back and forth. "She wasn't supposed to find out about her!" Fed up with his dishonorable behavior, Sasuke slugged him. Staggering back, he looked even more hurt. "Why did you do that?"

"Don't lie to me. You might've lied to Hinata but don't try to play dumb now. We caught you cheating!"

Itachi's eyes turned red and he throttled him. "I didn't cheat you dumbass!"

"Then who was she?!" Sasuke retorted, trying to get his hands off his neck. "Who was the blonde?"

"Ino Yamanaka." Itachi tightened his grip. "The planner I hired for the proposal," he emphasized each word. Seeing Sasuke struggling to breathe, he got up and kicked the wastebasket in anger.

"Huh?" Sasuke rubbed his neck and winced. "A proposal?"

"Yes, as in a marriage proposal," he hissed. "I was meticulously planning this out and when Hinata began to get suspicious I got worried. Ino suggested moving things up but we were waiting for the ring to come in. I had it custom made to resemble her mother's ring. She had it rushed and came through for me at the last minute, that's why we were so happy!"

"Oh," Sasuke dumbly said. "Congrats…?"

Itachi scowled at him. "I'm going to kill you."

"Wait!" Sasuke ran around the couch as he tried to pounce on him. "You can't blame me for how it looked! She's just as dumb as me." Itachi hopped over the couch and Sasuke ran up to his room, skipping steps along the way. Itachi pounded on his door.

"Open up!"

He dragged his dresser against the door. "No. You're trying to kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you," he sneered out. "I'm just going to make you feel the same pain I felt when she broke up with me!"

"Do you love her?"

"You little shit-" The pounding intensified.

"I'll help you get her back. Hinata was just hurt you ignored her and assumed the worst." The pounding stopped. "But we'll clear everything up. You two can get married and have kids and shit. I'll help."

"Okay," Itachi sighed. "Get out and let's talk."

Frowning, Sasuke didn't move. "Promise you won't hurt me."

"I'm not going to hurt you…" he trailed off. Sasuke could tell he was upset but had calmed down. He pushed the dresser away and slowly unlocked his door. Peeking out, he saw Itachi leaning against the wall looking distraught.

"Hey-"

His words were cut off by a swift punch to his stomach. He wheezed and Itachi leaned down. "I promised not to hurt you _much_. It could've been much, much worse." It was a side of Itachi that he rarely saw and couldn't avoid flitching when he helped him back up. "Why couldn't you just ask me? This could've all been avoided."

"I wanted to give you the benefit of doubt," Sasuke answered earnestly. "You're my big brother and I always thought the world of you. The thought of you betraying Hinata hurt me too because it felt like you had betrayed me too."

Itachi flicked his forehead painfully. "You're so irrational sometimes. I don't know what I'm going to do with you." They smiled at each other but then Itachi pulled out a small red box. "You know if it doesn't work, you're going to regret it."

The younger Uchiha gulped and nodded. "She won't refuse, I swear."

.

.

"What do you mean she's not home? I can see her from where I'm standing," Sasuke argued. He rolled his eyes when Hinata slowly slouched down on the couch. "I can still see you!"

Tenten shifted to the right, blocking his view. "You heard me. She's not here."

He scowled at the girl with a bun hairdo. "I'm done playing these games, Leia. Sorry." He used his strength advantage over her and forced his way in. She threatened to call her boyfriend, but he waved her off.

"Hinata, just give him a chance," he pleaded. "He's hurt and depressed you won't even return his calls. I promise he wasn't doing what you thought. You took it out of proportion. Remember you're too sensitive."

Offended, her jaw dropped and she flung a pillow at him. "How dare you call me overly sensitive? You confirmed it!"

He put his hands up. "Okay, I'm sorry. Yeah I did think the same thing _but_ we were totally wrong. Itachi's not that kind of guy."

"Then who was the woman? Huh?"

"I can't tell you."

Hinata scoffed. "Exactly. You're covering his affairs because blood sticks together, right?" Suddenly her eyes began to water. "You don't even respect me enough to…I thought we were friends!"

"We are!"

"Then tell me!"

"I can't." He tensed his jaw. "I wished I could but you'll just have to trust me." She shook her head and began to scoot away. "Do you still love him?"

"Of course I do but I've always been stupid," she looked down shamefully. "Father would be so happy to know I'm still the same naïve and idiotic girl. Even after he broke my heart, I still have these stupid feelings." She noticed his hopeful look and glared. "That doesn't mean I'm taking him back. Everyone's right, I need to grow a backbone. I'm not going to let him play with my heart anymore."

"God damn it! He's not playing with your feelings. Itachi loves you and you love him so just hear him out!"

Hinata had a look of hesitation and Tenten shook her head. "Then tell us who she was," Tenten challenged him.

Sasuke dragged his hands down his face. "I said I can't say anything. Trust me when I say you need to hear it from him."

Tenten shot Hinata a look and she suddenly looked determined. "Get out."

"What?"

The brunette motioned towards the door. "You heard her, get out."

"Sorry Itachi," he mumbled and suddenly grabbed Hinata's hands. Tenten shouted in protest but he ignored her and stared at Hinata intently. "She's a wedding planner or some shit like that. He was going to ask you to marry him and had this all planned out but your suspicions had him speed up the process. He was just happy Ino, that's her name, was able to get everything in with such a short time frame. You got it? So stop being so stubborn and call him up."

"M-m-marry me?"

Neji walked in to see his cousin passed out and Tenten had to restrain him from attacking Sasuke who was frantically trying to revive her.

.

.

"She said yes."

Sasuke tried to look surprised. "Did she? Well congratulations. When's the date?" He flipped the magazine page and tried to hide the smile forming on his face.

Itachi removed his tie and his brother smirked at the lipstick around his collar. "We want her to graduate first."

"That sounds logical. Going to bed?"

"Yes, I've had quite the long day," he laughed. Itachi walked up the stairs but stopped midway. "There is something I realized, though."

"What's that?"

"It's a good thing Hinata didn't go into the arts. She's not the greatest actress." Sasuke's eyes widened and he tried to control his breathing. "I wonder if she knew it was coming."

He coughed and chuckled nervously. "Well you know what they say about the Hyuugas and their keen sense of perception. Weird, huh?" Sasuke could feel his fierce stare and the hair on his arms stood up.

"Odd indeed." After a few moments, Itachi yawned. "Goodnight, Sasuke."

Relaxing his tense muscles, Sasuke sank into the couch. He rubbed his eyes and decided to call it a night as well. Walking in to his room, he was shocked to see Itachi sitting in his bed. "Itachi?"

"I forgot to mention something. You see, I showed Ino a picture of you and she has taken quite the liking to you."

Not liking where this conversation was heading, Sasuke crossed his arms. "And?"

"You will be taking her out on a date."

"What?! Why should I?"

"Well I do feel like I owe her," Itachi said nonchalantly. He saw Sasuke begin to protest but he narrowed his eyes. "And we know you owe me _big_ time."

They glared at each other and Sasuke was the first to look away. "Fine but I'm not promising anything beyond that," he pouted. Itachi's demeanor improved and he ruffled his hair.

"Thank you, Sasuke." His voice held no sarcasm and he hugged Sasuke. "I really mean it."

"Yeah, yeah." He pushed Itachi away. That night, both men slept the best they had in a long while.

* * *

AN: I didn't think I'd ever expand on any of my one shots but after a request for this one I did begin to wonder. This cliché idea popped in and I welcome the short break from my other story. Short stories and one shots are relaxing to do. I will be adding another chapter or two but my main focus is on BD.

Thanks for taking a moment to read. I appreciate all my readers!


	3. A brother's protection

Sasuke didn't like doubting Hinata's love for his brother. It was obvious that she only had eyes for Itachi but his curiosity has gotten the best of him many times.

After finding out that Hinata wasn't working overtime as she proclaimed, Sasuke became suspicious. He decided to follow her one day and noticed her entering a building without a sign. Looking around, he tried to enter through the same door only to be turned away. His curiosity grew and he found a back entrance.

It looked like a small theater or dance studio; he didn't see why she had to sneak around. Hearing voices approaching, Sasuke hid behind some curtains. A group of scantily clad women walked in and much to his horror, he saw Hinata join them. She was dressed modestly compared to some of the others, but obviously this wasn't her usual style.

"Okay ladies, today I want to see what you've learned. Temari, why don't you go first?" The woman motioned for a blond to step up.

Music started playing and Sasuke's eyes widened. She was pole dancing! After her song finished, the rest of the women clapped in appreciation and Hinata was pushed forward. _No!_ He thought. Sasuke didn't want to see his soon to be sister- in- law dance so provocatively. However, he couldn't just get up from his spot and leave. The room was small enough where they'd notice him for sure. _Close your damn eyes!_

But he just had to glance and his jaw dropped. The image of a shy, timid, modest Hinata went out the window. "Wow," he whispered in appreciation.

"Hey what are you doing here?!" Sasuke was dragged by his collar by a very large man. "Another pervert I bet. C'mon, why don't we ask the ladies here if they appreciate the peeping?"

"No, please." He begged the man to let him go. If Hinata saw him, he'd die.

The man whistled, drawing everyone's attention to them. "Tayuya! We got another one!" He flung Sasuke to the ground; amid all the whispers and gasps he heard Hinata utter his name.

"You know him?" Tayuya asked Hinata. "Is he the guy you're doing this for?"

"No!" she protested. Hinata grabbed her coat and dragged Sasuke out. "I'll see you next week," she mumbled to her instructor.

"What is that all about?" He asked.

"None of your business." Hinata briskly walked away, upset that her secret was out. After brainstorming ideas for Itachi's birthday with Tenten, she realized how predictable everything with them was. Coming across an ad on a campus bulletin, she jumped at the opportunity. Hinata wanted to genuinely surprise him and get out of her shell at the same time. Taking these classes had done wonders for her confidence, which went away the moment she saw Sasuke.

Sasuke pulled out his wallet. "Look I know your dad cut you off because of the engagement but you don't have to strip to pay for college. We're well off and you'll be a part of our family. How much do you need?" She stared at him blankly. "Itachi won't appreciate his wife taking her clothes off for cash."

"Put that away! It looks like you're soliciting!" Hinata whispered and motioned towards a patrol car that slowly drove by. With the clothes she was wearing underneath her long coat and Sasuke's insistence to give her money, people might get the wrong idea. "I'm not stripping! I'm just dancing."

"Right," he said skeptically. "So how much do you think you'll make 'dancing'? Just take the money, Hinata."

She smacked him with her purse. "I don't have money troubles! I'm learning these dance moves for only one person." He stared blankly at her. "Itachi! I'm doing this for his birthday!"

"Oh." His face reddened. "Oh!"

"Yeah." Hinata rocked back and forth on her heels. "So don't tell him. I want it to be a surprise."

Suddenly reminded of Itachi's fury when it came to Hinata, he blanched. He'd be more pissed over the fact that Sasuke saw Hinata doing _that_ than his gift being spoiled. "Of course I won't!"

For a few weeks, they kept their distance and couldn't even look each other in the eye. Itachi remained oblivious to it all, even humming a familiar tune the morning after his birthday much to their mortification. Hinata quickly excused herself and left the dining room while Sasuke fought to keep his blushing to a minimum. "Can you not do that?"

"Do what?"

"Hum that tune." It would only bring back the images that were burned in his mind; bad, horrible images that he should not remember so vividly. _Bad Sasuke!_ He chastised himself.

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Does it bother you?"

"Yes," he gritted out.

"Fine." Itachi kept the stupid smile on his face as he remembered the wonderful gift Hinata surprised him with the night before. To say he was pleasantly surprised was an understatement. "If only you knew." He let out a few chuckles and Sasuke hastily got up. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Okay." His brother's eyes shifted side to side. "Hey why don't you stay over Naruto's tonight? Here's some money, have fun."

Not bothering to fight it, Sasuke grabbed the money and left. He knew what Itachi really wanted and didn't want to catch an encore of Hinata's performance. No matter how curious he was to know if she had improved.

.

.

Suffice to say that Sasuke learned to always give Hinata the benefit of the doubt. So when he noticed one of her classmates stick so closely to her, he knew he didn't have to worry about her straying from Itachi. Hinata was not without admirers but it never bothered Itachi at least he never said anything to Sasuke about it. Of course, he had Sasuke be his eyes and ears on campus which was easy to do when they shared classes. However, even his brother couldn't be everywhere at once and Otsutsuki's constant interactions with her were getting worrisome.

His intuition hadn't always failed him and Sasuke knew he wasn't overreacting. Even the normally level headed Itachi had begun to act irrationally. Her fiancé was present when she was working with Shino or Kiba, who he later admitted were harmless, but most of the study sessions Toneri organized were during times he was unavailable.

Often she would say that he needed tutoring or that they were working with others on large projects. However after noticing just how frequently they were communicating, her fiancé knew he couldn't hold his tongue. Itachi didn't hesitate to put his foot down when he noticed the text from Toneri with her directions to his place. The two had gotten in an argument about trust and it left him in a foul mood.

"I don't like him," he spat as he stabbed his food. "I don't trust him." Sasuke agreed but he wished Itachi didn't point out her lack of faith in the past during the heat of the moment. After all, he was partially to blame.

"You have nothing to worry about." Naruto tried to comfort him. "Hinata loves you. Toneri doesn't stand a chance. He can try to seduce her but nothing happen. Plenty of girls like him but Hinata isn't like them, maybe that's why he so charmed by her. That and her body."

Narrowing his eyes, Itachi looked at the blonde who was gulping down his food. "Naruto…who let you back in?"

"You're funny," Naruto laughed. "Anyways, you should really get that jealousy under control. All you're doing is pushing her into his arms." He continued eating, oblivious to Itachi's growing ire.

"Don't you have to meet Ino?" Sasuke asked, pulling Naruto away from the table and towards the door. His best friend pouted but Sasuke knew he saved him from Itachi's wrath… once again.

With his jealousy in overdrive, he had nearly attacked Naruto a few days ago. Itachi had walked in on a shirtless Naruto talking to a blushing Hinata. Sasuke had to pin him down as the other two stared in bewilderment. Apparently he had spilled soup over his shirt and Hinata offered to throw it in the washer.

While Hinata would never betray Itachi, she couldn't help but blush in the presence of a muscular, shirtless and handsome man. It didn't help that she had offhandedly commented to Itachi earlier that she admired Naruto's passion for a better government. Once free of Sasuke's grip, Itachi had thrown Naruto out causing another argument between the couple.

"You know he has a point," Sasuke said as he sat back down.

His brother slammed his fists on the table. "So you think it's my fault?! That scumbag isn't just being friendly and you know it! If he calls her one more time, I swear-"

"Chill. This is why Hinata hasn't been around. You're kind of crazy." Itachi opened his mouth to retort. "I agree he's an ass but we need to be smart about this."

"What do you propose we do?"

Sasuke leaned forward, a glint of excitement in his eye. "I'll follow him and wait. He's bound to do something suspicious and I'll get solid proof."

"Will this actually work?" Itachi was skeptical of his brother's investigative skills.

Ignoring all his past failures Sasuke nodded. It was bound to work one of these days.

.

.

Sasuke sat in his car, drinking coffee from his mug. Hinata had told a grumpy Itachi that she couldn't meet him for lunch since her group wanted to get together to celebrate their successful presentation, which of course included Toneri. He nodded to Sasuke after she left and he nodded back. It felt like a real undercover mission.

He stared as Toneri welcomed Hinata and pulled her chair out for her. She looked around and Toneri shrugged but Sasuke could tell he was smirking. He called his brother and told him to go to step two. A few seconds later Hinata pulled out her phone and excused herself. She stepped out and Sasuke snuck inside, sitting close to Toneri.

"Saw some girl walk by, was that your girlfriend?" He asked the other man.

Toneri licked his lips. "Yeah, what of it?"

"Nothing, just wanted to tell you you're a lucky guy." Sasuke wanted to smack that smug smirk off his face. "I saw a ring on her finger. Congrats on the engagement."

"Heh, we're not there yet. But she is dumping that loser for me," he bragged and leaned close to Sasuke. "Hinata might look timid but she's a real pleasure between the sheets. She does this thing with her tongue…well let's just say that she knows how to treat her man."

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke barely nodded. He wanted to bash his teeth in for lying and talking so disrespectfully about Itachi's soon to be wife. But he'd get his comeuppance soon. Sasuke subtly patted his coat pocket repeatedly, slipping his hand inside and gripped his phone. Otsutsuki's words would come back to haunt him.

He quickly hid behind a menu as Hinata walked back in. His cap and sunglasses hid his identity. "Sorry, Toneri but I have to cancel. Something came up and since everyone else didn't show up, I think its best we reschedule for another day."

"No! I mean, you're here so why don't we just enjoy ourselves," Toneri pleaded. Sasuke smirked as Hinata explained that Itachi wasn't feeling well and she wanted to check on him. Taking that as his cue to leave, Sasuke used the waitress as a shield between him and them.

He hopped inside his car excitedly and played back the audio. ""Sorry, Toneri but I have to cancel…" He frowned and listened as the conversation continued. Hitting his steering wheel in anger, he realized he hadn't picked up anything useful. The recording must've been erased when he touched his phone and started back up when she came back. "Fuck!"

Sitting inside his car for a few minutes, he contemplated his next moves. Perhaps he could go back, but what if she saw him? Starting his engine, Sasuke admitted defeat and began to pull out of the parking space when he noticed an upset Hinata rushing out of the diner, followed by a peeved Toneri. Sasuke sped up to catch up to them.

"Hinata, wait up!" She ignored his pleas and hurried to her car. Parking downtown was a nightmare so she had to park far away. "Can't we just talk?"

Turning around, Hinata exhaled sharply. "Toneri, you know I have a fiancé who I love very much. I'm sorry but I just can't return your feelings. I'd like to remain friends if-"

"Friends? Friends?! You think I tolerated your friends and stupid ideas just so you'd cast me aside?" He grabbed her and pulled her close. Hinata was frightened and looked down. "Do you think I kissed you back there because I'm fine with just being friends?!"

"Maybe we shouldn't work on anything in the future. Please let me go," she asked. "Others will see." He pushed her into an alley.

"No one is coming, you stupid bitch," he snarled. Hinata tried to pull him off but he had a firm hold on her. "I told everyone else to reschedule. No, you and I are going to _privately_ discuss things."

"Get off! HELP!" Hinata was silenced with another unwanted kiss. Furious at him, the situation, and herself she kneed him below the belt. However the adrenaline running through his veins prevented an easy escape.

Toneri grimaced as he harshly gripped her long locks. "You're going to have to do something nice to make up for that," he threatened. Hinata responded with a gush of pepper spray. He cowered into a fetal position and covered his eyes. She made a run for it bumping into a hard chest.

Sasuke removed his cap and sunglasses, yelling out before she sprayed him too. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?" she asked, breathless from everything that happened. "Is Itachi okay?"

"What happened, Hinata?" He looked back to see a writhing Toneri shout curses. "Did he fucking touch you?!"

Ignoring the incapacitated man, she tugged on Sasuke's sleeve. "Don't worry about it. I took care of him. Let's go, okay?"

"You fucking slut!" Toneri shouted, making Sasuke freeze. "You fucking tease a guy then go act like a victim?"

"Sasuke don't…" she pleaded but he stormed to Toneri and kicked his ribs.

"That's my sister you're talking about and if you keep bothering her, you'll have to answer to me." He kicked him one last time. "Got it?!"

Hinata remained silent as he walked her to her car and he wondered if she was upset with his actions. That night, he found Hinata cuddled up to a happy looking Itachi. When they began to make out, Sasuke coughed loudly to make his presence known.

"Oh Sasuke, didn't hear you come in." Itachi said nonchalantly. "I was just about to put some music on."

Sasuke shuddered at the implication. Hinata gave Itachi a knowing look and turned to his brother. "We talked and I told him what happened. Thank you for looking out for me."

"It was nothing."

"I disagree," she smiled. "It means a lot to me that you consider me part of the family."

He rolled his eyes. "Well duh. There's so few of us left so I'll be damned if anyone hurts my brother or sister." Hinata got up and hugged him. "I was a pretty awesome detective wasn't I? Nothing gets past me."

Annoyed by his bragging, Itachi tilted his head. "Didn't you think Hinata had the hots for _you_? And weren't you _so_ certain I was having an affair?"

"Well this time I was right. Honestly, I don't know where you guys would be without me. One of your kids should be named after me or something." Itachi scowled and Hinata pulled away.

She patted his shoulder. "You have caused us some trouble but I'm glad you're here for us. I see you as part of my family as well. If Neji hadn't already agreed to walk me down the aisle, I would've asked you."

They all knew Hinata's father had basically disowned her because of his disapproval of Itachi. Offering his place to Sasuke meant a lot to him and he couldn't help the genuine smile on his face.

Days later, Itachi confronted Sasuke about a very generous gift he gave Hinata's cousin. "Neji called. He'll be declining your trip to Suna. Why does he think the wedding has been postponed a week?"

Sasuke shrugged innocently but inwardly scowled. Neji was supposed to contact him with any questions. _Why did the idiot have to go and blab to Itachi?_

"You know, I don't think Hinata would appreciate you sending her cousin out of the country the week of the wedding." Itachi raised an eyebrow and chuckled as Sasuke sulked. "And you thought I was unreasonably jealous."

* * *

AN: One more chapter and it's a wrap.


	4. Why is Sasuke so secretive?

Hinata was happily eating her dinner, looking forward to dessert. Itachi had made sure that all her cravings were fulfilled so their kitchen was constantly stocked with a variety of food. She didn't constantly gorge in sweets; the health of her baby was always on her mind. It was a balance between treating herself and making sure her baby was getting the right nutrients.

But her weight still bothered her. It was obvious that she was going to get larger but it stunned her just how much. Mentioning it offhandedly, she was surprised by Sasuke's reply.

"Maybe you're having twins," Sasuke joked as he finished his plate. "It's kind of early for you to be this big if you're only carrying one, right? Have you been eating right?"

Itachi coughed violently as he wiped his mouth. "Sasuke!"

"Huh?" He stared up to see an infuriated Itachi and trembling Hinata. "I'm only saying it out of concern not just because she's fat or anything-"

She quickly stormed out followed by Itachi who returned just to smack Sasuke upside his head. "You know how crazy and hormonal she gets," he scolded him. "Any little thing sets her off. Just-"

"You think I'm crazy and hormonal?!" They both winced as she shrieked in outrage. Hinata huffed back to the dining room and pointed at them accusingly. "M-m-maybe I should just move out until I have this baby. I won't be a bother to you anymore. Tenten has a spare room and-"

Sasuke stared awkwardly as Itachi profusely apologized and begged her not to leave. Hinata then apologized for her outburst and they headed to their room. "Weirdos," he muttered under his breath. The only thing he hated about her pregnancy was how she could be sweet and caring one minute and angry the next. Thankfully it was left to Itachi to deal with it, but he was still collateral damage.

The next day Hinata remained frosty to him; wishing him a good day at work but not with her usual smile. It bothered him greatly since he felt like they had built a strong bond. She was an Uchiha, carrying the next generation. Making amends was crucial. However Itachi told him not to worry about it since she had heeded his advice and was going to schedule an appointment with her doctor. "Its fine, I'll take the day off," Itachi replied to his offer to take her.

Some guilt melted away yet Sasuke still felt like he could've approached it differently. He was glad that he had arrived earlier than his brother and found Hinata huddled on the couch, covering herself with a blanket.

"Hey…what are you watching?" he asked cautiously. She grumbled and displayed the info guide for a few seconds before exiting the menu. Hinata was obviously still upset at him. "Cool…so I brought some cinnamon rolls. Want one?" He waved a bag.

"Why? Is it because I'm fat?" She bitterly asked. "Do you think everything will be okay because you can appease me with food?" However Hinata snatched the bag and pulled one out. "This doesn't mean I forgive you. I'm still mad."

Sasuke nodded and headed to his room. He knew he'd just make things worse if she saw him smirk after she bit into one. But it still troubled him that she was distraught just because of something he said. In all the books he has read, stress was implied to be detrimental to the mother and baby. As soon as they found out that she was expecting, Itachi wasn't the only one who dove into research. Of course no one knew he had these books stashed under his bed.

Stressing her over every little thing wasn't something that he could overlook. Itachi had mentioned to him that he was deathly afraid of losing her. It turned out that Hinata's mother had died during childbirth and no matter how much their doctor assured them that everything looked fine, Sasuke could see how anxious his brother was. To soothe his concerns Hinata resigned from her job, promising Itachi to be mindful of her limitations.

When he was informed that he was right about her pregnancy, Sasuke boasted about it to Itachi's face. "I knew it! I fucking knew it!" He pumped his fist up. "I was right!" Everyone looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Oh shit, we only have one crib. We only have one of everything!"

"Relax, we got it." Hanabi nodded to Tenten who pulled out her phone and called the store where they bought most of their stuff. "Another one…yeah… well set it aside!" The brunette pulled the phone away from her ear. "Fine we'll be there in an hour."

Sasuke shot Itachi another smug look before noticing the look on his face. His brother tried to express excitement as Hinata giggled but Sasuke could see how concerned he truly was. Even with the advancement in medical care and technology, he would view the pregnancy as twice as risky.

If anything happened to her or his nephews, it'd devastate the two brothers. Itachi deserved happiness and he'd make sure that they have it. _I have to do something nice,_ Sasuke thought. _Something that really amazes them. _

.

.

"That's the fifth time this month that he's gotten a package," Hinata said. Normally Sasuke would tell Itachi to distribute the mail but now he'd get pushed aside as Sasuke gathered everything. "He's acting weird don't you think?" she asked. "I hardly see him around the house anymore."

"Sasuke's always been independent," Itachi yawned as he wrapped an arm around her. "Besides you know that being a cop doesn't allow him to be around even if he wanted to."

Scrunching her nose, she leaned into his chest. "I guess." Hinata couldn't feel like there was more to it. Aside from helping her around the house, Sasuke remained aloof. It felt like he was closing himself off from both of them and it was messing with her head. After being told that there were indeed two heartbeats, she would've thought that he would've kept bragging about it.

Since she was also curious by nature, Hinata decided to keep a closer eye on her brother in law. Unfortunately as nosy as she was, he was even more paranoid and made it harder to pry into his activities. She finally caught a break when she arrived early from her birthing class.

"Do you think it's big enough for my stuff?... How much a month?...That's actually really cheap," Sasuke said. He froze as Hinata stared at him, quickly moving to close his door. "I'll call you later."

Hinata knocked on his door. "Sasuke?" She heard him shuffle things around his room. "I'm going to make some brownies. You want some?"

"Nah, I'm good." She grumbled under her breath. "But I can help. Itachi would probably freak if you were using the oven unsupervised."

She brightened up, ignoring the fact that they doubted her capabilities. "Great!" He opened the door and she narrowed her eyes, quickly scanning around his room before he hastily shut it behind him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he motioned towards the stairs. "Oh sorry," she tried to grin.

Staring at her out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke cursed himself for letting his guard down. Hinata was getting closer to her due date but things weren't ready yet. Add that to the amount of snooping she was doing, and Sasuke knew that he had to speed things up. He noted internally to schedule the move for when Hinata was out for the whole day.

When he returned to his room, Sasuke retrieved the package from his locked closet. He opened it, gently inspecting the contents and comparing one item to the photograph in his hand. "It's not an exact match…"

.

.

During the next couple of days, whenever Sasuke was home he remained in his room. She could hear the unmistakable sound of packaging being opened. His room was like an impenetrable fortress; locked even if he wasn't home. The one time he rushed out to be on time for his shift, he left without closing his door; she peeked in and was stunned by what she saw.

Itachi looked up from where he sat. "Hinata, I can tell when something is on your mind." She had been complaining about sore feet and he quickly offered to massage them for her. "Is it the babies?" Hinata shook her head. "Are you sure?" he pressed. "I can call Dr. Senju if you want."

"We just came from the doctor's office. Everything looks good," she assured him. He kept his phone beside him, just in case.

"Then what is it?"

Hinata sighed. "His room is emptier."

He snorted. "Good. It's about time he got rid of that clutter." Itachi heard her sniff and looked up in panic. "What? Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Do you think he's going to move out?"

Furrowing his brows, Itachi thought about it. "I'm not sure. Is that what you're worried about?"

"If he wants to leave then I wouldn't hold him back. I just don't want him to assume we _want_ him out." Hinata bit her lip. "Maybe we should do something nice for him. I mean it's been all about me and our babies, maybe he feels left out."

"You're making it seem like he's jealous," he scoffed. She shrugged. "Oh c'mon Hinata, he's a grown man. If anything, he's just thinks we're going to tell him to leave."

Her eyes widened and she looked upset. "But we're not!"

Itachi sat beside her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Hinata, for your sake just stop over thinking it. If you're really worried I'll help you with whatever you want to do for him. We'll make him feel like he's not some unwanted stray and welcomed to stay as long as he wants, okay? Why don't you get some rest?"

.

.

To say that they really went all out was understatement; Sasuke looked in amazement at the spread laid out before him. It was mostly his favorite foods and immediately he knew something was up. Hinata beamed proudly and Itachi pulled out a chair for him.

"Okay?" Sasuke skeptically said. But he began to fill his plate.

"Sasuke?" He looked up to see Hinata and Itachi look at him expectantly. "You know we love you, right?" His brother struggled out. It was always hard for them to express affection like this.

Dropping the serving spoon, he rolled his eyes. "I'm heading out."

"Sit," Itachi ordered him. "We just wanted to assure you that while there are some big changes coming, we aren't kicking you out."

"I didn't think you were," he slowly replied. Itachi shot Hinata a knowing look and she pretended to not notice. "Wait…are you? Do you guys want me to leave?"

"No!" Hinata shouted. "We would never! We love you, Sasuke."

"Can you stop saying that? I know okay? You don't have to keep telling me," Sasuke muttered. "Is that why you were meddling around?"

Hinata poked her fingers together. "Well, I heard you talking on the phone about moving and cheap monthly rates. What else was I supposed to think?"

Sasuke burst out laughing. "I wanted to wait until tomorrow but I guess it might be best to do it now before you stress out over nothing. C'mon."

They followed Sasuke into his room and he pulled out a large box out of his closet. Hinata tried to peek in but then he took something out of his dresser and handed it to his brother.

"Is this? How? I thought we broke it," Itachi said. His fingers traced the small music box, a near identical match to the one he remembered from their childhood. "Mother cried so hard that day."

"I remember…" Sasuke replied. "She would always leave it in our room whenever we had a nightmare. It didn't take much to lure us back to sleep." He took the box from Itachi and wound it up. A soft medley started playing and the two brothers could almost hear their mother's voice, singing the words she made up to go along with it.

Hinata stared at them fondly, clasping her hands close to her heart. Noticing this, Sasuke cleared his throat and rummaged through the box before handing her a book. She smiled at him before opening the cover. "It's the one my mother used to read me!" She covered her mouth in shock. On the inside was the drawing of a sunflower her mother had done along with Hinata's name written, by her four year old self, in blue crayon. "Look!"

Itachi looked over her shoulder and chuckled as she went through the book, pointing out the stories behind the smudges or doodles. She closed it and held it against her chest before noticing that some of the things inside the box resembled those from her childhood. Those that were unfamiliar were probably from Itachi's.

She looked back at Sasuke. "You did this? Oh my god…" Hinata hugged him tightly and he looked at Itachi for help. However he also rushed forward and trapped him.

"Please get off!" He pleaded but eventually gave in.

"We thought you were leaving us!" Hinata wailed. "I saw some boxes in your car and thought you were packing up your stuff…" she couldn't continue as she began to sob.

"But I am," Sasuke said. Hinata looked at him with fearful eyes. "I'm taking some of my old stuff into storage because I wanted to make some room for them. I've baby-proofed my room too. Now there's space for them to play while I watch them in my room when you guys are too tired."

"But we have the nursery." His older brother pointed out. "You didn't have to get rid of any of your stuff."

"It's done already and besides I like how less cluttered it is. I might move out eventually but if I do, it won't be anytime soon. You guys are going to need my help." He pulled out his wallet and proudly handed him a card. "Check it out, I'm certified in CPR and first aid. Perk of the job. So you know who to come to first whenever you need a babysitter. Is Neji, the architect, certified? I don't think so."

Itachi ruffled Sasuke's hair. "Okay, okay. How about we enjoy that meal we've prepared for you." The two walked out, before he looked at his wife. "Hinata, aren't you coming? What's wrong?"

She started shaking and he rushed over. "Baby, what's wrong?" he asked nervously.

"Baby… babies!" she said and Itachi slowly nodded. "They're coming. My water broke!"

.

.

Sasuke stared as Itachi happily rocked Haru. He noticed that Kazuki was beginning to whimper and not wanting to wake Hinata up, he picked up his nephew. "Thanks," Itachi whispered.

"Hn." Kazuki yawned and blinked at Sasuke. Dark eyes stared back at him. "Hey buddy. Between the two of us, I'm kind of glad that you guys don't have icy Hyuuga eyes. Neji's eyes."

"You'd love them either way," Itachi retorted then raised an eyebrow. "And don't you mean Hinata's? Not that there's anything wrong with them." He looked lovingly at her.

"No." To Sasuke, there was a difference. Every other Hyuuga he met has a hostile expression, amplified by their pale eyes. Yet Hinata's have always conveyed warmth and compassion. She will be a great mother, something his parents would've agreed.

"You know, the least you could've done is name one after me," Sasuke said. He shot him a look of betrayal, to which Itachi rolled his eyes.

"You do realize they're _our_ children," his brother emphasized.

"And I _thought_ we were all a big family," he muttered as he rocked his nephew. "But I guess…"

"What about their middle names?" Hinata sleepily asked. Itachi kissed her forehead and told her not to encourage him. "Can you help us think of some names?"

Sasuke nodded in agreement and turned around, trying to hide his smirk. He would hold this over Neji's head forever.

"I mean, you can choose one and Neji can choose the other. He already feels like I've abandoned him and it's only fair. Maybe we can have him over more often so he knows he's part of our family…" Itachi nodded along while Sasuke drowned her out in annoyance.

"He's not even your uncle, more like a first cousin once removed._ I'm_ your uncle," he muttered to the infant. "And I'll be the best uncle ever."

.

.

Itachi was absolutely captivated by Hinata and he was grateful that she kept adding joy into his life. After lowering Kazuki onto his crib, he turned on the crib soother. He wanted to use the music box for special occasions. Haru was already knocked out and Itachi stood between their cribs, still amazed that he was a father. "I love you," he whispered.

They might be a handful as they grew up, but right now, everything was perfect. His family was doing well and he couldn't ask for anything else. Even Sasuke had surprised him with how welcoming he was to Neji.

Itachi quietly closed the door, realizing a few minutes later that he forgot his phone. Upon returning, he heard something strange. "You are Uchihas and loved," Sasuke's voice joined the soft music. "Your mother loves you, your father loves you, and Uncle Sasuke loves you." Bewildered but tired, he decided to keep the soother on since it didn't seem to bother the twins. He wanted nothing more than to snuggle next to Hinata. This could wait until tomorrow.

Then he heard more of Sasuke's rambling or brainwashing as he now considered it.

"Uncle Sasuke is better than Neji. I love you much more than he does and you love Uncle Sasuke more than Neji." Itachi shook his head and turned it off. He'd get the thing replaced and talk to Sasuke in the morning. He did admit it was a gutsy move for him to tamper with one of Neji's gifts for his benefit.

* * *

AN: Chalk this one as finished. :) Hyuuchiha stories give me life.


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